In this scene, Mrs. McPherson's response foreshadows her forthcoming surprises during the will reading. As Ellen rises and goes upstairs to call her, the widow responds in an unexpected way:
"Mother, oh Mother,” she cried. “Mr. Frankland’s come.”
“I know it,” came back a voice from within. “Tell him to go ahead and read the will. I know what’s in it. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Rather than sounding sad or reluctant, Mrs. McPherson’s response to the lawyer’s arrival is relaxed. By not hurrying down to hear the contents of the will because she knows what it says, she hints to her children that she knows something important that they do not.
Her lack of hurry and the fact that she stays upstairs disconcert James and his sisters. Typically, a will reading is an event of some importance for the family members who are left behind. However, because of the widow’s casual attitude, the narrator implies that Mr. Frankland and, through his will, the late Mr. McPherson might have some unexpected news for her offspring. She takes an untraditional response to one of the most important events after her husband’s death, which foreshadows the untraditional will-reading to come. Mrs. McPherson’s casual attitude is a hint that there's a twist coming up, and it makes her children nervous immediately.
